A Warrior's Secret
by Woodland Fog
Summary: PineClan and MeadowClan peacefully stick to their own sides of the river border. But when a queen from MeadowClan winds up missing, tensions fly as MeadowClan grows more and more worried. A PineClan apprentice finds herself going on a journey with new friends to recover the missing queen. Along the way, she uncovers a darkness that will haunt the forest forever.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**ALLEGIANCES**

…

**PINECLAN**

**LEADER THICKETSTAR** — large, dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

**DEPUTY FOXSHADOW** — dark ginger she-cat with amber eyes

**MEDICINE CAT FEATHERPOOL** — pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

**WARRIORS **(toms, and she-cats without kits)

**BATFUR** — dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**CEDARWHISKER** — golden-brown tabby tom  
**APPRENTICE, SPIDERPAW**

**OSPREYWING** — dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

**WILLOWCLOUD** — white she-cat  
**APPRENTICE, WRENPAW**

**GOLDENTAIL** — golden-brown tom with green eyes  
**APPRENTICE, WARBLERPAW**

**BOLTSTORM** — black tom

**BRANCHLEG** — long-legged dark brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICES **(cats over six moons old, in training)

**SPIDERPAW** — brown-and-white tabby tom with yellow eyes

**WARBLERPAW** — mottled, dark ginger tabby tom

**WRENPAW** — dark brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

**QUEENS **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**PETUNIAFUR** — pale blue-gray queen, mother to Cedarwhisker's kits: Mothkit (a black she-kit), Fernkit (a blue-gray she-kit), and Puddlekit (a dark brown tabby tom)

**MAPLESHINE** — ginger-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

**DEWPETAL** — tortoiseshell fur, blue eyes, expecting Thicketstar's kits

**ELDERS **(retired warriors and queens)

**NEWTBELLY** — speckled brown tom with amber eyes

**MISTYWHISKER** — fluffy gray she-cat

**BEECHFALL** — cream-furred tom, blind

…

**MEADOWCLAN**

**LEADER MOORSTAR** — cream tabby tom

**DEPUTY EMBERCLOUD** — black she-cat with amber eyes

**MEDICINE CAT SAGENOSE** — white tom with green eyes

**WARRIORS**

**BADGERFALL** — black-and-white tom

**WARBLERWING** — pale ginger tabby tom  
**APPRENTICE, WARRENPAW**

**DRIZZLEFUR** — silver-gray tabby tom with blue eyes

**DARKTHROAT** — white tom with a black flash on his ches

**HONEYWHISKER** — tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

**POLLENBREEZE** — golden-brown-and-white she-cat

**PEAKFANG** — dark gray tom

**APPRENTICES**

**WARRENPAW** — swift, black-and-white tom with green eyes

**QUEENS **(she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**CINDERLIGHT** — pale gray queen, mother to Fawnkit (pale brown she-cat) and Wolfkit (small, dark gray tabby tom)

**ELDERS **(retired warriors and queens)

**NEEDLECLAW** — white tom

**BLIZZARDFUR** — speckled gray tom

…

**CATS OUTSIDE CLANS**

**FREDDIE** — dark brown tabby tom, kittypet

**ROGER** — golden-brown tabby tom, kittypet

**FLOOD** — blue-gray she-cat, loner

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

...

_Something wild and loud blasted through_ the forest, awakening the trees from their stillness. A swift-moving light tore through the darkness and a cloud of smoke rose up above dewy leaves. It was the Long Monster; a hideous beast that smelled like blood and soot. It had carved its way into the woods many seasons ago, even before the first cats stepped paw into the brush. It had been there first, and as long as its space was respected, nobody would be hurt or killed.

Someone was watching the Long Monster from the shadows. Glowing eyes flickered like crackling embers. Shafts of light coming from inside the Long Monster cast themselves upon the viewer. It was a cat. She was gray-and-white and had a long, flicking tail. Her pelt ruffled from the wind caused by the Long Monster.

"What're you doing out here?" came a voice from behind. The she-cat looked over her shoulder.

"I just came out here to think, Thicketstar. The Long Monster just so happened to have come by at the right time. I've never been this close to it." she meowed.

"And I'd hope this is the closest you'll ever get to it." Thicketstar replied. "So, what's up Featherpool? You said you came to think. What's that all about?"

Featherpool shifted her gaze back towards the Long Monster; it was still moving violently through the trees. "I was just thinking about the season changing. I don't know if I'm ready for leaf-fall. We've had a rather decent greenleaf, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes." Thicketstar remembered the fat squirrels and mice the hunting patrol had caught earlier in the morning. Every cat in PineClan was able to eat. "It's been one of the best since I became leader. We're catching so much prey we hardly need to hunt every morning."

"Your kits will be nice and healthy once they're born thanks to how much food Dewpetal is getting. Are you excited about becoming a first time father?" Featherpool purred as she thought about her soon-to-be-born nieces and nephews bouncing around the nursery. Dewpetal and Thicketstar were fine warriors; hopefully their kits would inherit their excellent hunting and fighting abilities to protect and feed the Clan.

"I'm extremely excited! How many kits do you think she'll have?"

"It's not easy to tell. We'll know when they're born. I suppose it'll be at least two." Featherpool replied. Dewpetal was incredibly plump and round. She would definitely be having more than two kits in that litter.

"I hope StarClan is kind to us this leaf-fall and leafbare," Thicketstar murmured as he looked up towards the flickering stars. The ancestors stared back at him, but were they listening? Sometimes, the young leader had no clue.

"So do I. I was only able to get through last leaf-bare because Dropletwhisker was there to mentor me. I don't know how I'm going to do it without him." Featherpool sighed. She curled her tail over her paws. Thicketstar nudged her softly.

"You have his wisdom. You're our medicine cat now. We all believe in you." he said to her gently. She glanced at him and for a moment, her worry seemed to dim. But there was something there still. Thicketstar knew his sister better than anyone else. "Is there something you need to tell me?" he asked.

"I-I don't know if I want to tell you," she mewed.

"Why not? You know you can tell me anything."

He was right. And she was a medicine cat. StarClan had been silent for seasons, and Featherpool hadn't had any visions until a moon ago. With a breathy sigh, she muttered, "I keep having strange dreams. I believe StarClan has sent me an omen, but I'm not sure what it's about."

"Care to elaborate?" Thicketstar asked.

"Okay." She inhaled deeply. "I keep envisioning the stars forming two birds. Those birds attack each other. I never know who wins; the big one or the little one. I don't know what it means. I've been trying to figure it out for the past moon."

"You've been having these dreams for a while?"

Featherpool murmured, "I first had it when I visited the Starlit Place to speak with StarClan. It's been recurring only a little bit since, but enough for me to remember."

"Do you have any idea what it could mean?" Thicketstar pressed.

She shook her head. "I told you, I don't know."

Just then, the Long Monster gave a final roar before it fled into the darkness. The forest was still once more. Featherpool lifted her head to the starry sky above. A sharp, claw-shaped moon glowed faintly between a countless number of stars.

"I hope to know," the medicine cat added quietly.


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

…

_Wrenpaw blinked the heavy sleep from _her eyes and padded out of the apprentices' den. A cold wind blew past, causing shivers to roll down the she-cat's spine. She sighed and shook her pelt to fluff it out. She swiveled her ears at the sound of pawsteps coming from behind. Wrenpaw looked over her shoulder.

Her brother, Warblerpaw, lumbered into the morning light. "_Brr_!" His body jolted in a violent shiver. "I'm surprised we haven't all froze to death yet."

"I'm sure it'll get colder," Wrenpaw replied. She lifted her head. In between the dark brown branches above, she could see a clear blue sky. _I wonder how much longer we'll see the sun, _she thought to herself.

"Hope not. The weather can stay as it is." the tom mumbled.

Wrenpaw and Warblerpaw had not experienced leafbare yet. They had been born at the beginning of newleaf when the weather was warm. The elders had told stories of how leafbare is unforgiving. Wrenpaw hoped that her Clan would pull through.

"Hey, you two," someone meowed. The littermates turned their attention towards the voice. It was Goldentail, Warblerpaw's mentor.

"Yes, Goldentail?" Warblerpaw got to his paws.

"Grab something to eat and meet Willowcloud and I by the exit afterwards. We're going to the river today." the large tom said.

"The river?" Wrenpaw questioned. "What're we going to do by the river?"

"You'll see when we get there, Wrenpaw." Goldentail responded. "Now, hurry up. We have a Gathering tonight and I'd like to get back in time to take a nap beforehand."

The apprentices dipped their heads. Goldentail turned and padded away.

"Wonder what we'll be doing down there?" Warblerpaw said.

"I don't know. We haven't gone that far before. Perhaps we'll be training or something." Wrenpaw flicked her tail and rose to her paws. "Anyway, wanna go see what's in the fresh-kill pile?"

Warblerpaw nodded. "I hope the morning patrol caught some blackbirds. You know that's my favorite."

"Aren't you scared you'll turn into one if you eat too many of them?" Wrenpaw snickered. Her brother rolled his green eyes.

"I think you'll turn into a fat mouse if you keep eating those." he countered.

"Hey!" Wrenpaw butted into his side. The tom purred in amusement. Wrenpaw couldn't help but giggle either. She knew he was only fooling. Her brother would never hurt her in such a way.

A group of warriors stood by at the fresh-kill pile. The apprentices turned their ears towards the conversation. A brown warrior named Batfur spoke:

"We'll run out of prey if we keep hunting by the Upturned Tree. We have to expand our hunting borders. MeadowClan own the warrens, but they do not own the old underground tunnels near the treeline anymore. They abandoned it when they moved further down the river."

"That's foolish thinking, Batfur," Cedarwhisker grumbled. "We cannot hunt in the tunnels. We are cats that belong in the forest. Besides, MeadowClan might want their tunnels back at some point."

"Our prey will begin to hide underground soon. They hate the cold just as much as we do. I'm sure we'll find a plethora of mice and voles hiding under the soil." Batfur replied, lashing his tail irritably.

Wrenpaw glanced over at her father, Ospreywing. He was glaring at Cedarwhisker, obviously not agreeing with what the golden-brown tabby had said. Ospreywing was usually loud in conversations such as this. She wondered why he hadn't spoken up before he stated:

"Why don't you converse with Thicketstar about this? Clearly, this isn't a topic for us to be deciding if we can't agree on anything. Perhaps Thicketstar shall bring it up at the Gathering." Ospreywing's voice was like thunder. The other cats looked at him, then at each other, then shared a coincided nod.

"Then I will speak with Thicketstar," Batfur mumbled. He headed off towards the leader's den.

Ospreywing glanced over and saw his kits. "Ah. . .good morning, you two. Fancy some mice? It's all we could find."

Warblerpaw's ears pinned slightly. He groaned. "That's all?"

"Something you will learn soon, son," the big warrior murmured. "Things don't like to come out in the cold weather. I forget that you both were born in newleaf. Well, you're about to witness the coldest season, complete with scarce prey and disease."

Wrenpaw stared at Ospreywing. "Is that what you and the other warriors were talking about?"

He dipped his head. "You know we only hunt at the Upturned Tree. Batfur is right, we have to expand our territory to the tunnels."

Wrenpaw picked up a scrawny mouse and settled beside Warblerpaw. As she dug into her breakfast, she continued to speak with Ospreywing. "Will we have to fight MeadowClan for it?"

"Don't see why we would. They haven't owned the tunnels in ages. A long time ago, MeadowClan used to live directly beside us, then they moved down the river after the northern warren caught fire." The warrior lifted a large paw to his muzzle, then ran his tongue across it. He, then, swept his paw over his ears. "What are you two up to today?"

Warblerpaw replied through his chews, "Our mentors are taking us to the river."

Ospreywing halted his grooming. His eyes flitted towards the younger tom. "What for?"

"We don't know," Wrenpaw said. "Training, perhaps?"

"Well, be careful. The rapids are fast. I'll speak with you later." Ospreywing bounded off, heading for the warriors' quarters.

"We better hurry and get a move on so Goldentail and Willowcloud don't chew our tails off." Wrenpaw meowed. Warblerpaw nodded before gulping down the rest of his mouse. The apprentices shook the dust and sand from their pelts, then dashed over to where their mentors were waiting.

Wrenpaw purred as Willowcloud touched her pink nose to her forehead. "Good morning, my apprentice! You ready to go check out the river?"

Anxiously excited, the apprentice bobbed her head.

"Let's go, then!" Willowcloud meowed cheerfully. Wrenpaw loved that her mentor was full of energy. It sure made training a less rigorous process.

The four cats exited the camp through a long, hollowed out log that served as a tunnel. Once on the other side, Goldentail said, "Little bit of a walk, but we'll manage."

They made their way through the forest. Piles of leaves covered the mossy ground. Bare branches twisted into each other and dead grass crunched underpaw. The wind tore through the trees, making a low _wooooosh _as it did so.

"Did you tell them why they're going down to the river, Goldentail?" Willowcloud said.

"Not yet. I wanted it to be a surprise. Like how Ospreywing and Foxshadow made it a surprise for us when we were apprentices." the tom answered.

"Very well. I suppose knowing takes the fun away, huh?"

"It does, indeed, Willowcloud." Goldentail meowed with a chuckle.

"Oh, come on the both of you!" Warblerpaw groaned. "How far are we going, anyway?"

"I told you a good bit, Warblerpaw. Now hush. Spiderpaw made the same trek yesterday and he didn't complain."

Wrenpaw rolled her eyes. Spiderpaw was the oldest apprentice in the Clan. He liked to poke fun at Wrenpaw for how short she was compared to the other cats. She didn't fancy him all too well.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they made it to the river. Wrenpaw lifted her head and tested the air for scents. All traces of PineClan were gone. Had they walked out of the borders?

"Er. . .are we still in PineClan?" Wrenpaw asked. Willowcloud looked over her shoulder and winked.

"Nope." she replied bluntly.

"Let's go around this tree." Goldentail suggested. The group padded around the trunk of a large pine. Its other side was hollowed out and clear water pooled on the inside. The opening of the hollow stretched all the way up. The bark was gray and ashy; this was an ancient tree. Wrenpaw squinted, trying to peer inside.

"Have a look, young ones." Willowcloud purred.

The apprentices poked their heads inside.

"Whoa!" they gasped in unison. Placed all among the inner bark were pawprints. Blackened pawprints. Some were faded, some were relatively new.

"What is this?" Wrenpaw whispered.

Goldentail chimed in, "This is the Tree of the Warrior. On the night of a naming ceremony, a new warrior will come out here with his mentor, leader, and medicine cat, catch prey, place their paw into the spilled blood, and place it upon the bark."

"We have been doing this since the beginning of our Clan. It symbolizes our strength and our bond with each other. MeadowClan shares this tree with us. Along with the Great Stone and the Moonlit Place, this is an area where we can coexist peacefully." Willowcloud added. "And when you two become warriors, you'll place your pawprints on this tree."

Goldentail padded further inside. "This one's mine." He gestured towards a crooked print. "I was nervous so it smudged a little. Willowcloud placed hers right beside it."

"And one day, our kits will place their pawprints near ours!" Willowcloud gave a loud purr.

"Do you know which ones belong to Ospreywing and Mapleshine?" Wrenpaw asked.

Goldentail glanced around. "Your father has large paws, so I'd assume we could narrow that search down. As for your mother, I haven't a clue. Sorry, Wrenpaw."

Wrenpaw stared up at the wall. Suddenly, it seemed as if she could feel the exhilaration her ancestors before her had felt on their naming nights. Her heart raced. She felt tempted to place her paw upon one of the marks, but kept herself planted in the freezing water below.

"I feel it too," Warblerpaw breathed.

"When do you think we'll become warriors?" she murmured to her brother.

"Soon, I hope."

Wrenpaw shivered as echoes from the past yowled in her ears. Pride swelled in her chest and she ruffled her pelt. Within a few moons' time, she'd add her mark to this wall!


End file.
